All right. Well, good morning, church.
I'll try that one more time. Good morning, church.
Good morning. So glad that you are here with us.
I think I recognize just about everybody. But do we have any first-time guests visiting with us here today? If you just slip your hand up, we have a little gift for you. We'd love to be able to get it into your hands.
And if you are visiting here with us, there is a little card in the pew back in front of you that says Connect Card. We'd love for you to fill that out and put that into the offering plate when the offering time comes around so that we can have a record of your visit and so we can connect with you.
But this morning, let me just say welcome. And we're so glad that we have this opportunity to worship together here after Valentine's week. Love being able to celebrate that.
And last night, we had a great gathering together for our Mary Hearts banquet. And a big thank you to Miss Donna and Miss June and for everybody who participated and brought food.
And can we just give them a big round of applause and just say thank you? Because Ray will attest. He will tell you. We will attest. It was some good eating, man. It was good stuff.
So I'd love it if you would just stand with us. And we're going to sing a song, and it might not be familiar to you, but if it is, I hope you'll sing along. It's called Chainbreaker. Chainbreaker. I love this song, all right?
Amen, amen. You guys can have a seat as our deacon of the week jumps forward.
All right. My bride actually has one. She's going to come on up. She's going to talk about this. But inside of your bulletin, if you would just take out that insert and take a look at that insert there that tells you some details about the Women of Joy Fellowship Tea.
I have one other one inside of your bulletin. You see the tear-off there. Number one, on the backside of that tear-off, we pray over these requests that come in every week. In fact, we've got a couple that came in.
First, for the Loudoun County firefighters, especially those that were part of that sterling home explosion on Friday night, there was a firefighter who was lost in that blaze. And so we want to certainly lift up that firefighter's family and friends, as well as all of the departments involved. We certainly want to be praying for that.
But we also, I want to lift up specifically Ms. Sandy Myers. Her mom had to go to the hospital this weekend. Her mom's breast cancer, officially they got word that it has returned. And they also have a very strong sense that she also has pancreatic cancer. And so she's in the hospital, and she's actually hoping for a biopsy to be squeezed in sometime today.
And so I was texting with her this morning, and she said she'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried. And I said, well, we completely understand that. And so we want to pray for her strength. We want to pray for the family as well, for her mom. And so we want to lift them up.
And so each week, I just want you all to know, we pray for each of these requests that come in on Wednesday night. And then at 9:05 here on Sunday mornings, it's always busy kind of getting ready for services, Sunday school, and everything else. And I like to just take a time to just pause. And I just spend some time praying.
And I just pray through our prayer list. And so if you have a prayer update or a praise or something you'd like us to be lifting up in prayer for you, you can certainly do that.
On the other side of that tear-off is something important that I'd love for you to help us, you know, in an effort to better serve our congregation and equip saints for ministry and accomplish our mission to love others and to reach our world.
Sometimes we don't always know and identify members and friends who may benefit from a contact or a visit. And so if you know of somebody who could use a visit or a phone call or a letter of encouragement or a card, if you would like to help us to make some visits or to be a part of that ministry, you can put just some contact information there for us.
I had somebody come up to me not too long ago and they said, hey, you probably already knew this, but I was sick last week. And I was like, that must have been from my mind reading bone. I don't know. I didn't know pastors had that spiritual gift, you know.
But sometimes it's just assumed that it kind of gets through the grapevine. We don't always know. And so if you can just kind of help us with that, if you know of somebody who could use a visit or a phone call, just some kind of encouragement, we sure would appreciate that.
Amen. Well, you guys go ahead and stand up with us. We're going to sing the hallelujah side. We introduced this song a few weeks ago, and so we're going to sing this again. So y'all stand up with us as we worship together.
One, two, three, four. Amen. I sure am looking forward to living on the hallelujah side, aren't you? Well, let's sing this next song. I will sing the wondrous story, which is hymn number 537. I will sing the wondrous story.
Amen. You may be seated as our ushers come forward at this time to collect God's offering. Brother Charlie, will you pray for us?
Amen. There, you did it again.
Did what?
You called me. You said, Our Father who art in heaven.
Here I am, your heavenly Father.
All right then, go on.
Okay, where was I?
Hallowed be thy name.
Hold it. What do you mean by that?
By what?
By hallowed be thy name.
By the way, since you're God and all, what does it mean?
It means respected and honored. My name is holy and wonderfully set apart as something special and unique.
Do you really mean that though?
Of course, why not?
Well, what are you going to do about it?
Do about it?
Down here as you got up there. But have I got control of you?
Well, I go to church.
That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know, especially when you're driving on the roads.
Then there's the way you spend your money, all on yourself. And what about the kind of music you listen to and the movies that you watch?
Hypocrites down at the church.
Excuse me, I thought you were praying for my will to be done in your life.
If that's to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it, like you for example.
I would like to, you know, be really free.
Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you.
Actually, you might want to cut out some of the bread in your diet. That's what I'm trying to get across to you.
Have you ever even considered what it really means that I will provide your daily bread?
Well, I guess not.
Well, praying today for nourishment hopefully means that you'll talk to me again tomorrow. I take pleasure in meeting your physical and spiritual needs every day, because I'm a father who loves to give good gifts to his children.
After all, you're my child, and I want you to continue to grow into the person I created you to be, which is why I'm so interested in the next part of your prayer.
Well, go on.
You called me, and here I am. You wouldn't want to stop now, would you?
Well, I know what you'll say.
I've sworn to get even with him, and I will.
But your prayer, what about your prayer?
How much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it? You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet.
Think of how unhappy you already are, but I can change all that.
You can? How?
Forgive him, and I'll forgive you. And the hate and sin will be Travis's problems, not yours. You may lose the money, and he may even still talk bad about you to other people, but you will have settled your own heart.
Then you don't even know what it means that I've forgiven you. Think of all that you've already been forgiven in your life.
There now. Wonderful. How do you feel?
Oh, alright.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Good, good. I'll do just that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you'll be tempted. You need to change some of your friendships. Some of your so-called friends are beginning to get to you.
They'll have you completely involved in wrong things before too long. Don't be fooled. They tell you that they're just having fun, but it's a trap that will ruin you in the end.
Don't use me as an escape hatch. You've done it lots of times. You get caught in a bad situation, you get into trouble, and then you come running to me.
Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again.
Yes, and do you remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me? The promises you made to stay out of trouble, but that you had no intention of keeping, right?
Well, go ahead and finish your prayer.
Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?
Then you just answered the question.
I did?
Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love and follow me. And I see that happening between us today.
Well, there's no telling what we can do together.
Amen.
Amen. Boys and girls, you can be dismissed for Children's Church, age five through grade five, right there with Brother Dillon.
And as they are being dismissed, if you would turn your attention to the screen for a quick video.
When the storms hit us out of nowhere, what happens then? We can hide the weight of our worries behind the smiles on our faces. We can try our best to mask the hurt and to cover over the pain.
But in our private and alone moments, we're praying with tears. And we're longing in desperation for something to change.
Please, we need to be reminded of something that we probably already know. That if you're in Christ, it's all going to be okay.
As the waves rise and as the earth crumbles all around, as the regrets mount and as the uncertainty refuses to give way, if you're in Christ, it's all going to be okay.
This has nothing to do with positivity or wishful thinking. Rather, it's because we have this hope as an anchor for our souls.
That if Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the third day and if the power of God was behind it all, then truly beloved, there can be no greater truth than this. If you are in Christ, if you are in Christ Jesus, whether you see it fulfilled in this life or the next, it's all going to be okay.
You know, I remember a season that I was going through not long ago where my wife would often remind me of that. She would say, John, don't worry. It's all going to be okay.
In my flesh, in my heart, I was thinking, how is it going to be okay? I just don't see a way through this storm. I don't get it. How is it going to be okay? Stop telling me it's going to be okay. It's not going to be okay.
Anybody else ever had those feelings? You ever walk that road together?
The deathbed declaration in his farewell discourse in John chapter 14, where we've been studying the last several weeks now, at the heart of these last words is an effort to encourage his disciples in preparation for the coming storms, the crisis of faith that they're all going to experience together.
It's an effort to offer them hope in the midst of confusion and despair and worry and doubts. See, they're going through a season just like I was, just not that long ago. Like Brittany was trying to tell me, it's all going to be okay.
He's trying to tell that to the disciples. Friends, it's all going to be okay. Brothers, it's all going to be okay. They're all thinking, how is it going to be okay? How is it going to leave us? How can it ever be okay again?
They were having some of those doubts and those uncertainties in their own heart. Maybe you're going through a season right now in your own life and you're thinking, Lord, how can it be okay? How am I going to make it through this? What's going to happen?
Sometimes just not knowing what's on the other side of the valley is what leads us to so much uncertainty and doubts and questions.
These followers of Jesus, they had doubts and questions too. Remember, Peter says, Lord, where are you going? Why can't I go with you now?
Jesus reminds him, Peter, disciples, I have the promise of a heavenly home for you. I'm going away so I can prepare a place for you.
Then Thomas says, but how can we know the way? Jesus says, you ought to know this already. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Then Philip, he says, show us the Father. Basically asking the question, what does the Father look like?
Jesus tells them, listen, it's truly and intimately knowing God. Knowing Jesus is knowing the Father, our Creator.
He says, you ought to see all of that already. You ought to know all of that. You've seen my character. You've heard my words, which are His divine words.
You've seen the miracles, the works, the incredible things that you've witnessed. All of these things testify to the fact that I am who I said I am.
Then He commands them to believe. Believe in me. Trust in me. Except the thrust of those words that we talked about last week is not just that we trust in Jesus, but that we trust and keep trusting.
That we believe and keep on believing in the midst of the storms, in the midst of the uncertainties, in the valleys. Friends, what's beautiful and what we're going to start beginning to discover today is that there really are some incredible promises that He offers to us when we believe, when we trust, and we keep on trusting even despite the challenges and the obstacles.
If you would, open up in your Bibles with me to John chapter 14. John chapter 14, and we're going to be looking at verses 12 through 14. It's on page 1323 in the pew back Bible right there in front of you. If you want to grab that out, page 1323.
John chapter 14, famous last words. This is the famous farewell discourse, the upper room discourse of Jesus Christ. John chapter 14, verses 12 through 14. Just a few short verses today that we will unpack together.
Would you stand with me in honor of God's word and in honor of the God of the word as I read this?
John chapter 14, starting in verse number 12, it's up on the screen as well. It says, most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also, and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Heavenly Father, my prayer is that you would illuminate your word for us today. Lord, I'm so thankful for silly skits that help us to see your heart in our prayers.
And God, your word promises something incredible to us that we would do the works that you have done, that we would do even greater things than you accomplished on earth. That seems unbelievable for us, but God, you make it evident in the context of this passage that it's going to happen by your Spirit and with the privilege and power of prayer.
God, our prayers have potential. Our prayers can be powerful when they're done in your name. Teach us today, Lord, what that means, what it means to pray in your name and to expect great things in faith as we believe in you and keep on believing, even when we go through difficult seasons of life.
Lord, God, there are those in this room today who need this message, God, and I know that because I am one of them.
Lord, when we're going through those tough times to remember and when we're going through the uncertainties, when we have doubts, when we have questions, when our faith is shaken, Lord, it's important for us to believe and keep on believing and to know that there are promises on the other side of our faith.
So God, help us to cling to your word today, to stand fast and to lean into your everlasting arms. We love you. We pray these things in Jesus' name. And everyone said, Amen.
You may be seated. Incredible promises when we trust the Lord. He's already told us about one of them, right? The first of the promises that he's told us about is that he is going to prepare a heavenly home for you and I.
And I just want you to know, friends, I can't think of a greater blessing when I'm going through the obstacles and the challenges of life than knowing that no matter what, it's not the end of the story.
No matter what I'm going through, it's not the end of the story. And Jesus says, listen, I'm going to go away. And I know that's hard for you to hear, but I'm going to prepare a place for you so that where I am, you can be with me too.
Friends, that's all I want. I just want to go and be with Jesus. I mean, I just want to follow Jesus every day of my life until finally I just follow him right through the gates of glory.
I mean, where I can see my Savior face to face. I don't know what my reaction will be. The song is true. I can only imagine what that will be like.
But I want you to know that is an incredible promise that we cling to. But the second promise that we're told here is now that we too would do the works of Christ and even greater works.
Maybe you're like me and you just think that just seems unbelievable, right? When I read through the Gospels and I see Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and healing people who are born blind and making the crippled to walk again and making the deaf to hear.
And when I see him multiplying one little boy's fish and chips lunchable and feeding over 5,000 people, I just think how in the world could Jesus say that I'm going to do greater works than he has done? That just seems unbelievable to me.
Anybody else just kind of have that thought in your own mind, your own heart? I'm right there with you, okay? As I was reading through this I was thinking what could this possibly mean?
But Charles Spurgeon, I love Charles Spurgeon, he's one of my heroes of the faith and he said this, there are greater victories yet for the church of God. There are greater victories yet for the church of God.
Do you believe that? I want you to think about the people that are right here in our community. I want you to look at the empty seats that are around you right now.
We did this exercise several months ago. I want you to look at every empty seat that's in here and I want you to think about those empty seats as souls that still need to be saved, that Christ needs to reach.
Did you know? People say but there are churches all over. People can go to church. There are all kinds of churches. We don't need to plant more churches. There are so many churches.
Friends, if everybody showed up to church on one Sunday there would not be enough churches for them to go to. There wouldn't.
But I believe as Spurgeon did that there are still great victories to be won by the church of Jesus Christ today. I believe that there is still work for us to do.
I think some of you are doubting this. I think some of you are thinking, yeah, but everything is set in place that he could come right now. You are absolutely right.
But if the Lord tarries, there is so much work left to be done. And there are great victories yet for the church of Jesus Christ.
The problem is, I'll tell you a story. I remember when I was at Liberty University, and somebody correct me online if I am misspeaking, but the way that I heard it, there was an educational facility at Liberty University called DeMoss Hall.
And DeMoss Hall was built so quickly, so rapidly, in a little bit of a haphazard fashion, that the third and fourth floors of DeMoss Hall were not usable for much of the life of that structure. You could only use the first and second floors.
And the reason they did that was because they wanted a grand structure that they were so convinced that Jesus Christ was coming more quickly than they thought, that they didn't think they were ever going to need the third and fourth floor of the building, so it wasn't a big deal.
And I think about that often, how sometimes we limit ourselves and we limit the work of God because we think, hey, Jesus is coming back and it could be tomorrow, so there's no need for us to go all in on what he's called us to do.
No, friends, that's the reason we need to go all in on what he's called us to do, to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love one another as Christ has loved us, to teach the word and to reach the world for Jesus Christ.
We have a big, great commission. It's not a great suggestion. It's a command for us to go and make disciples of every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Why? Because that's what heaven's going to look like. Every nation, tribe, and tongue encircling the throne of the Lamb of God and lifting up his name.
Praise Jesus! Glory to God in the highest on earth. Peace. And why? Because his favor rests upon us as a people.
Friends, we have a big job and I believe that there are still yet big victories to be won for the church of Jesus Christ.
And so what does it mean? What did Jesus mean when he said greater works they would do? Does that mean greater power?
Friends, I think that this is greater in several different ways. Number one, it's greater extent. It's a greater extent of the works.
Consider, Jesus' ministry was in the few dozen miles that encompassed the land of Israel. He never went outside the land of Israel. He went as far as Galilee to Jerusalem and back and that was it.
That was the extent of his ministry. But what is the extent of our ministry? Acts 1:8 tells us the answer to that question. It says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses to me in Jerusalem, yes, but also in Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
The disciples would end up taking and planting churches. Go back through the book of Acts. You'll see God at work through the followers of Jesus building the church and growing the church through the entire known world of the day.
But the world is in so many ways so much bigger than they ever would have imagined and yet today it's even smaller because of technology and social media. We are more connected in some ways.
And friends, our ministry extent is so much more vast than that of Jesus or even his immediate disciples. We are called to the ends of the earth to share the good news of Jesus.
But it could also mean greater outreach. You see, Jesus preached to thousands. His disciples reached hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions.
But today I remember watching a Billy Graham televised broadcast that was tuned in by more than a billion people. That's a million with a B for y'all that weren't good with math.
A billion people that watched that broadcast of Billy Graham sharing the word of God, preaching the gospel. Jesus and his disciples never were able to do something like that.
And Jesus says, listen, greater works than even I have done you will do because of the greater outreach that you have.
Remember, on the day of Pentecost when Peter stands up to preach, Peter the fisherman, Peter the not white collar, not blue collar, the no collar guy, the guy who fished shirtless most days, right, who was out in the hot sun, who was fishing to provide for his family, who was called by Jesus to preach the good news.
And he is filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And he stands to preach and he boldly proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ.
And the Holy Spirit uses him to save 3,000 souls in one day. By the way, that never happened with Jesus.
And I want us to wrap our heads around this because sometimes we magnify Jesus in such a way that we think that we could never be used to do something greater than Jesus did, but he promised that if we had our faith firmly in him that God could use us to do things that we would never even imagine.
Greater things even than Jesus. That the extent of our ministry and the outreach of our ministry would be even greater than his.
And friends, it's also greater in its clarity and yes, its power. Yes, this includes the miracles of the early church that continue by the Holy Spirit.
I just want to be very frank, friends. I've got wonderful scholarly, Bible believing, Bible affirming friends that say that the signed gifts, the miracles of God by the Holy Spirit through his people have ceased. They're what I call cessationists. That's what they believe.
They believe that those signed gifts have stopped. Friends, I'm not a cessationist. I'm a continuationist.
Nowhere in the scriptures has anybody ever been able to point to a passage that says those gifts have stopped. Nowhere. I've always asked them, show it to me.
Listen, you believe it. I love you. I know that you love the word of God. Then show me where it says that. Because if you can't, then I still serve a wonder working savior.
And all my charismatic friends are like, yes, thankfully we got a Baptist preacher who knows that the Holy Spirit still works.
I heard that one time that the only difference between Baptist and Charismatics is that Baptists are afraid of the Holy Spirit. And I thought, okay, that might be more true than we'd like to let on.
But he says, listen, God can still do incredible things through you if you'll trust him and keep on trusting. If you will believe and keep on believing, he is still a wonder working savior, friends.
And we need to hold on to that. But also, I want you to think about the greater clarity of the work that we do.
I want you to consider all the times that Jesus did these incredible miracles. And some of the first things out of his mouth weren't give glory to God. It wasn't worship me because I am the Messiah. I'm the Christ.
More often than not, Jesus said, now go and tell nobody what happened. Did anybody ever notice that in the New Testament? He had to veil his glory.
Why? Because otherwise people would go and spread the word too quickly and it would expedite the process of his execution. It wasn't yet time.
It wasn't yet time to unveil the glory of God that is in Jesus Christ. Friends, we don't have that limiter on us anymore. Jesus no longer says go and tell no one. Now He says go and tell everybody.
Go and tell everyone the good news. Don't hold back. Tell everybody you can find.
What did the shepherds do when they found the newborn Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger? They went out from there and they told everybody who would listen to them what they had seen.
Friends, we need to adopt the practices of good shepherds. Of shepherds who come into contact with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and our lives are transformed.
We can't help but tell the good news. We would explode if we wouldn't tell the good news. Peter and Paul both shared that same sentiment.
God forbid I shut up and didn't speak the good news of Jesus, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Friends, that needs to be us because we have greater clarity in the work and the power that Jesus has given to us post-resurrection and post-ascension.
The miracles are on full display for the glory of God unto gospel outreach. So Jesus had sown these incredible works but we are reaping even greater works as his successors in ministry.
He says we are co-heirs with Christ. That includes an inheritance of Holy Spirit power. Are you all with me this morning? Are you a little scared as Baptists here today?
I just want us to really grasp this. I want us to understand that Jesus didn't just go away to prepare a place for us. As wonderful as that promise is, Jesus also went away.
He said it's better that I go away so that I can send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who will empower you. The Holy Spirit is the key to these greater works that he has for us but only because Jesus is preparing to go away to the Father where he can then send the Holy Spirit to us.
I want you to think about it as our benefits package. Jesus is going away and this is your benefits package. He's going away to prepare a heavenly home for you and he has greater works even than he accomplished, planned for you and for me.
Friends, we need to take hold of that. We need to believe that today. We need to trust him unto that and then we have another promise that he makes at the latter part of this in verses 13 and 14.
If you'll go back there with me again in verses 13 and 14 he says, And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do. That the Father may be glorified in the Son if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Pastor John MacArthur explains this in such a great way. He said, Jesus promises to continue supplying the disciples' needs even from heaven. That prayer would bridge the gap between their needs and his abundant, limitless, undepleted resources.
I am still convinced of this. Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer. You want to see revival? Pray.
Every single great awakening and spiritual revival that has ever taken place in the history of the church was preceded by prayer. People setting aside time to pray.
Listen, I don't care if I'm the only one in here on Sunday. I don't say this so that anybody feels bad or guilted or shamed or anything. Every Sunday at 9:05 I sit right there on that front pew or I kneel at this front pew and I pray.
Y'all are welcome to join me anytime. Anytime. I pray every Sunday right here. Sometimes, a few of you join, we pray together.
We lift up this place. We lift up the people that come. Sometimes I walk through the aisles and I imagine who usually is sitting right where they are because we're creatures of habit.
I look out, I see where everybody sits and sometimes I'll just weave in and out of the pews and I'll just pray over everybody that I know who's going to be sitting there and visitors who are coming.
Why? Because I want to see God move in a mighty way because friends, I'm not a good enough preacher to just get people in the doors to just change their hearts and their lives.
That's not a preacher's job. That's the Holy Spirit's job. To work in you in ways that I never could hope to.
The Holy Spirit of God is the one that I'm crying out to. Lord, fill us anew, afresh. God, bring down fresh wind and fresh fire on this place.
Lord, let us feel your presence. Let us be changed. Let us be transformed because we come into your presence, because we study your word together.
I believe that those things are true, but I can't do it. A praise team can't do it. A keyboardist can't do it. Deacons can't do it. Ushers can't do it. You can't do it. I can't do it.
The Holy Spirit of God can do that. And only the Holy Spirit of God can do that. And so prayer bridges the gap between our needs, my needs, and your needs and God's abundant provision.
His supply that is limitless, that never is depleted. And so we have this power and privilege of prayer.
I love the way that John talks about this in a later letter in 1 John chapter 5. Starting in verse number 12, it actually says, he who has the son has life.
Can I just say that again? He who has the son has life. You've got Jesus, you've got life. Life eternal.
He who does not have the son of God does not have life. It just makes it abundantly clear. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? If so, you have life.
Do you not have a relationship with Jesus? You don't have life.
Verse 13, these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
Do you know how I know that I have eternal life? Because I believe in the name of the son of God. Because I believe. That's how I know.
Because I trust and I keep on trusting. I believe and I keep on believing that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of God.
In verse 14, now this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him. Friends, that is an incredible promise.
But there's a caveat there because sometimes we read this and we're thinking, yeah, anything we ask, if we ask anything, he hears us. Whatever we ask, we know that we have.
Preacher, does that mean that we can ask for anything we want? Yes, you certainly can. Does that mean that you're going to get anything you want? Not exactly.
At that point, most people are like, yeah, there's always a caveat. There's always a catch, right?
Listen, he says, whatever you ask according to my will, whatever you ask in my name, is the way John says it in John 14, in my name, praying in Jesus' name, what does that mean?
Well, names identify persons as well as their credibility and their authority. I wasn't alive long enough. I'm not quite old enough to remember, but some of you probably do.
Maybe when your parents or your grandparents sent you to the grocer and you went in and all you had to do was tell them the name and you could go pick up whatever groceries and that would be on your tab, your bill, so to speak.
Anybody remember? You know what I'm talking about? Some people in here, maybe you come from smaller communities and that was the kind of thing.
You could just go to the grocery store and say, hey, I'm picking up some milk from my mom. Can you just put it on our bill, right? And then the grocer would just send a bill, right?
We could do that as children because we are picking it up by our parents' names, right? For me, it was a little different. For me, mom would give me her credit card, right?
She would give me her credit card. Connor, I don't know if your dad's ever done this for you, right? He's just giving you, no, no, all right, yeah, he knows better.
That's probably better, right? But listen, like when mom gave me her credit card and she said, hey, I want you to run into the convenience store. I want you to pick up whatever it happens to be.
I need some Cool Whip or whatever. And I would go in there and I would put it on the desk, right? And I'm 13 years old or whatever and the cashier's kind of looking at me.
Is that going to be cash or card, right? And I swipe the card. Now, why in the world would anybody accept that as payment?
Because I am buying that on the credit worthiness of my mom's name.
Friends, when we go to God in prayer, we are coming based on the credit worthiness of Jesus Christ. Are y'all with me today?
In Sunday School, we discussed a name for God and it's the name El Shaddai. El Shaddai. It speaks to God's sovereignty, his sufficiency, meaning that he's enough, and his power.
In regards to when he makes promises, when he makes covenants with his people, he would use the name El Shaddai.
Friends, when he makes a promise, he said, listen, this promise is coming from the one who is all-sufficient and all-powerful.
When we are praying, we are praying in the name of the one who is El Shaddai. Are y'all with me? Are you hearing this today?
Because friends, this is the power and the privilege of prayer. And like prayer, Jesus' power is limitless. His authority is universal.
In Matthew 28:18, when he gives us the great commission, the first thing he tells us is this, all authority has been given unto me in heaven and on earth.
All authority. He says, every authority in the universe has been given to me. And so when we pray in his name, we pray by his power, by his authority.
And praying in his name comes with the wonderful guarantee that he answers favorably.
So then, Pastor John, what's the catch? What's the catch?
Well, in Jesus' name means according to God's character and his will. Praying in Jesus' name is not a formula.
It's not something that you tack on to the end of your prayers to guarantee that your prayer is heard and answered the way you want it to be.
It's not how it works. Lord, I just really need that Lamborghini. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
This is not a name it and claim it situation. That is not the truth of what it means to pray in Jesus' name.
By the way, I don't need a Lamborghini. The prayer that is truly in his name must be three things.
For his kingdom purposes. What did we say in Matthew chapter 6 verse number 10 in the Lord's Prayer that Dylan prayed earlier?
He's kneeling right here and he says, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
When we pray in Jesus' name we are praying his kingdom come. Not mine. Not yours. His will be done. Not mine. Not yours.
On earth as it is in heaven. Does he have control of us? Are we selfishly motivated by our prayers or are we motivated for his kingdom purposes?
His will. Friends, that's something we've got to investigate our own motives.
In Jesus' name means that every prayer truly must be for his kingdom purposes but also on the basis of Christ's merits. Not mine.
It's not based on any kind of self-righteousness or sense of entitlement. Well Lord, I go to church on Sunday. I gave my tithes. I sent money to the preacher who said I should on TV.
I did all of those things that you called me to do. I read my Bible. I said my prayers before bed and before I ate. Lord, I'm entitled.
No, you're not entitled. The last thing that you and I ever could be is entitled. What we deserve is death and eternal separation from God.
That's the only thing that we are entitled to. Death and eternal separation from God. But by God's grace you and I have the gift of eternal life.
And friends, if we ever come to a place where we think we are entitled that the God of the universe should give us what we want, get on your face before a righteous and holy God and get right with him.
Because your self-righteousness will be a barrier to God's blessing in your life. God is never going to bless your sense of entitlement or my sense of entitlement.
I am just thankful that I have the privilege of coming before God's throne of grace and mercy every day.
Even more so, it says that I can boldly come before God's throne of grace and mercy to receive the grace and mercy that I need for each and every day.
And so friends, we come to pray for his kingdom purposes on the basis of his merits. And thirdly, in pursuit of God's glory alone.
Solely Deo Gloria to the glory of God alone. For his kingdom purposes unto his praise.
I think this is why the psalmist tells us in Psalm 37 and verse number 4, delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart.
Delight yourself in the Lord. Be singularly focused on him, his will, his purposes.
And then friends, if you delight yourself in the Lord, then he will give you the desires of your heart because the desires of your heart will be the desires of his heart.
And God answers the prayers that are done in his name.
There's going to be so much more that we're going to learn about this kind of prayer in John chapter 16, but friends, when you're a genuine believer, a true follower of Jesus, your benefits package are spectacular.
You have the promise of heaven. You have the promise that there are greater works that God wants to do in and through you than he even did through Jesus.
This is what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 3 in verse number 20 and 21.
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever expect or think or imagine, and we have the privilege and power of prayer that bridges the gap between our needs and God's abundant, limitless, undepleted resources.
Friends, the challenge that Jesus gave at the end of verse 11 in this passage that we've been looking at is still the same. Believe me. That's what he calls us to do.
Believe him. Believe and keep on believing. Trust and keep on trusting. He's making a way in heaven for you.
And he has great work for you to do. And you and I have the privilege and the power of prayer at our disposal.
And I just wonder, are we really believing those last two promises? Do we believe that God really wants to do an incredible thing through us?
Do we believe in prayer enough that we're actually praying? I'm not saying talking about prayer. I'm not saying sharing prayer requests or praises. I'm talking about actually praying.
Sometimes we talk more about prayer than we actually pray. That's what happens at a lot of church prayer meetings.
We'll talk about everybody's prayer needs, but we spend less time actually in prayer. That's a shame, friends.
Today's invitation, I just feel burdened. There may be somebody here today who's never made that decision to follow Jesus, to believe his words.
And you need to become a Christian. You need to be saved today. I want you to have the opportunity to do that. And this altar is open and I'm going to be here.
Maybe you're just far from the Lord. Maybe you need to rededicate your life. Maybe you're here today and you need to be baptized. You need to be obedient.
The last couple of weeks we've had people come forward to be baptized. Maybe you need a church home.
But friends, here's what I'm burdened for today. I'm burdened that sometimes people are like, well, I just need the preacher to shut up so we can go to lunch.
And so when it comes to the invitation time, nobody wants to come forward. Listen, I'm not the preacher that has to have people come forward to the altars to know that something has gone right and that the spirit has been moving.
I'm just not that insecure, friends. God is going to move as he's going to move. It's not up to me. It's up to him.
I don't need to convince people to come fill the altars. That just doesn't need to happen. But I do want you to know this.
I want you to feel free to come and pray today because many of us are not participating in the power and the privilege that it is to come before God's throne of grace and mercy like we need.
And I want you to know now's a good time. Now's a good time to do that. You don't even have to come forward. You can turn right around in your seat.
You can bow your heads right where you are. And you can just pray by God's sweet, sweet spirit.
I'm going to ask our praise team to come forward and they're going to lead us in a song. But friends, I'm not going to ask us to stand. You can sing along.
More than anything, I want to ask that you'll pray. I want to ask that you'll pray. I want you to pray for our church.
I want you to pray for lost people that come to mind. I want you to pray for those needs that are on your heart. I want you to spend some time with God.
If you don't know what to pray, pray the Lord's prayer. Now you know what it means. You know exactly what it means for you to pray the Lord's prayer. Pray that.
I like the serenity prayer. I pray all kinds of prayers. You pray. I just want you to take time. I want you to pray as they sing for us.
As they lead us in this song, sweet, sweet spirit, you sing along if you want to sing along. But I want you to just make an altar where you are.
And if you have a decision that you need to make, you need to be saved, you need to rededicate your life, come forward. I'll be right here.
Don't worry about what anybody else is saying or thinking about you. You just come forward. If you want to come to this altar to pray, it's yours.
This is your house. This is the place that we set aside to worship and pray together as a body of believers.
So I want you to feel free to do that. God, I pray that you would move amongst your people, that you would draw them in whatever way they need to be drawn.
God, that you would bring conviction where there needs to be conviction. And Lord, that we would know that when we leave this place today, we leave because there was a sweet, sweet spirit.
So God, by your Holy Spirit, we pray in Jesus' name that you work in lives this morning. In Jesus' name, amen.
You come. You pray. Spend some time with the Lord.
And that's my prayer for all of us today that we would know that we would have no doubt when we leave this place that we have been revived by the Holy Spirit of God by his word.
What a gift that we have. Friends, I just challenge you this week that you would just take hold of those promises that we have because he's going to prepare a place for us that we can be together with our Savior and that he has great works for us to do and we have the privilege and power of prayer in our lives.
Would you all stand with us now as we just sing our closing song together, Family of God.
I'm so glad that we get to worship together week in and week out. I don't know about you but that's just how it is for me and so we're so glad that we get to do this and we're glad to be part of the Family of God.
Connor, why don't you play our song for us, brother.
on Feb 18, 2024
